Foundation Haircare

Being a natural Blonde my whole life my Mother always told me “People pay money to have hair like yours!” Well of course my 15-year-old self didn’t value what my mom had to say and insisted on making a drastic change to my hair color. After being turned down multiple times to go get my hair colored by a professional, I chose to take matters into my own hands. 

On a quick Family & Friends trip to Rocky Point, I decided to stow away some good ole Chestnut Brown BOX DYE and had a great plan to make my Lyndsey Lohan wannabe hair dreams come true. My intention was that rich brown she had in all her latest and greatest movies: Mean Girls, Herby, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen… I mean that dreamy thick hair and killer confidence would come with that right? 

Well once the parents went out, I bribed my friends to make this Blondie a Brunette! Let’s just say we weren’t professionals yet and it went horribly… although I couldn’t admit I was wrong to my Mom so of course I thought it was PERFECT! I’ve always wanted blotchy almost black hair over my boring toe head blonde. 

Needless to say after a year or two of trying every darn color in the book I came to the realization that I needed my childhood Blonde Locks back! Well, no one told me how long that process was going to be and that my Walgreens products were not going to bring my hair back to life! Thus started my Humble road to WHY I take care of my hair from the Stylist I choose to the Haircare Regiment I use at home. 

In case no one has taught you what I wish I would have known when it comes to Foundational Products, Here is my quick guide to the basics in haircare.

Everything Begins in the Shower

Shampoo & Conditioner

• This is your first line of defense and your first opportunity to give your hair what it needs. Do you have an issue you’d like to address when it comes to your hair? Is your hair Dry, Curly, Damaged, Lifeless, or Coarse? Pick one that has a targeted purpose that will fix your issue. Investing in quality shampoo and conditioner means that these products should be free of certain ingredients such as:
  • Sulfate free (minimum requirement)
  • Phosphate free (type of acid)
  • Paraben free (type of preservative)
  • Gluten free

Clarifying Shampoo 

• This specialty shampoo should be used once a week to clarify mineral and product buildup from your scalp and hair. This Shampoo will help you go longer in-between washes because it is giving your hair a true reset button each week! Remember to find one that is Sulfate free and GENTLE

Hair Mask 

A mask should be used once a week and there are a few different types of hair masks to choose from based on general purpose

• • Keratin Protein or Pea Protein-based mask (Usually used for intense repair)
  • Cuticle based treatment  (used to strengthen hair)
  • Oil-based Treatment (Used for hydration) 

You’ve Towel Dried Your Hair and You Are On To Prepping Your Hair

Leave in Conditioner

A leave-in Conditioner has many purposes such as: a detangler, a heat protectant, keratin spray,  & moisture control. I always spray this in as the first step before any of my other products go in. 

Oil

Think of your oil as your hydration component as well as your long lasting heat protectant. When picking an oil you want to find one that is the perfect density for your hair type. For example, if you know that you want to apply the oil to wet and dry hair then it would need to be thick enough for when your hair is wet but thin enough that it doesn’t make it feel oily if you apply It dry. 

Your Brush & Hair Tie Can Ruin Your Hair

Your Brush

There are many different brushes that serve various purposes but one brush we all need to have when we have wet hair is a ventilated brush. This particular brush acts as a comb would but with a little more flexible bristles and more of them! The two reactions you do NOT want to have with your hair and a brush is when you have a few hairs stretch out and spring back up. Usually, this happens with paddle brushes and hair that is a fine texture and this means the elasticity of your hair is being ruined. The other reaction is a ripping sound. This usually occurs with a comb going through major tangles. Your hair is obviously breaking off if you hear this sound. A ventilated brush usually avoids both of these issues. I really Love THIS BRUSH & THIS BRUSH for detangling and to brush out my curls!

Your Hair Tie

Is your hair extra short all around your hairline? Do you use a regular hair tie when you have a bun or ponytail? This can cause breakage on the outermost hair AND not to mention a major headache! I discovered The Bobble a couple years ago when I got extensions for the first time and the standard hair tie wasn’t cutting it. The Bobble has multiple sizes for strength and comes in lots of cute colors! I don’t have unreasonable tension on my hair anymore, my hair doesn’t kink, and no more breakage on my hairline!

If you want to give your hair the best chance it has to be healthy which affects the Shine, Texture, and how well your Color holds, then invest in quality foundation products. You only get one head of hair so take care of your crown.